Normally I like doing these mocks based on what I think the FO will actually do. This year the needs are less obvious and I anticipate that we will have less insider information than we've had the benefit of in previous years, so projecting an accurate pick will be more challenging than usual. As such, I'll post both kinds of mocks throughout the winter and spring updating as we go along. This post will contain the mock I expect could actually happen based on the information we have available.

Of course, the further the draft goes along the more impossible it is to guess the players that Seattle might be honing in on. So in this mock I'm going to compromise a little- I'll give picks I think John Schneider would make in the first three rounds while making my best guesses in rounds 4-7 with players that I personally like who fit Seattle's philosophy.

For now, I am projecting Seattle to pick 22nd, simply because the odds of them being a wildcard are still much higher than winning the division, and the odds of them winning a road playoff game are fairly low, especially since that game would likely be against the Packers/49ers/Giants. If the season ended today Seattle would own the 22nd pick by seeding.

So with all that explaining out of the way, buckle down, this will be a long one. With the 1st round pick, the Seattle Seahawks select:

1st round: Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State.

I should stress that this is not a pick I would endorse, but consider this quote posted from Rob's blog today:

Carroll apparently told a representative of the Brown family [while recruiting Brown in 2007] that he was the best linebacker “he’d seen in seven years.”

Carroll was a major driving force behind the Marshawn Lynch trade, a player he badly wanted that he had ties to in the Pac-12. He tried hard to recruit Bruce Irvin before heading to the NFL. He tried to recruit Richard Sherman (as a CB) only to get turned down in favor of a Stanford education. When Carroll has badly coveted a player and that player has been available to him in the draft, it seems like he almost always gets his man. That makes me think that there is an excellent chance that Arthur Brown could be very high on Seattle's draft board next April, whether I agree with it personally or not.

Barring a huge rise in the leadup to the draft, Brown is expected to go in the late 1st to late 2nd range. That gives Seattle an interesting choice to make. Do they trade down and take Brown in the late 1st or early second while picking up extra picks, or do they select another impact player and then spend some of their 9 or 10 draft selections by moving up in the second to get Brown the way Tim Ruskell once did for Lofa? I'd strongly prefer the latter option, but given John Schneider's history I'd expect the former. Either way, I'd almost guarantee you that Brown will be a Seahawk, unless Pete's dramatically changed his mind in the last 5 years. Given that Brown is in most 1st/2nd round discussions, I don't see much reason for Carroll to change his tune.

What do I think of Brown? He's a very gifted athlete and the brother of Philly RB Bryce Brown who is insanely athletic. Speed and athleticism are not in short supply for this young man. That said, I have a bias towards NFL ready players and that's the rub with Brown for me- he misses a lot of tackles and at times is slow to diagnose. He is very fast though and at his very playmaking best reminds me of Lavonte David, who I loved as a prospect last year and is having a great rookie season. Brown does not look as big as his listed size, like David he seems more like a Malcolm Smith type, but with more potential and durability.

I can easily see why Pete loves a player like Brown, because Pete has always gravitated towards players with a ton of untapped potential. If Brown is a standout with poor recognition and poor tackling then you could imagine how good he'd be after getting coached up by Pete Carroll, a guy who has almost never failed to get more out of his players. The absolute maximum upside for Brown is Derrick Brooks, but I really doubt he'd ever be that good because Brooks had instincts that Brown lacks, but if everything breaks right Brown could be a terrific player.

So far I'd tentatively give Brown a 3rd round grade. Last year I gave Bobby Wagner a 3rd round grade. However, I am not Pete Carroll, and Carroll drafted Wagner in the 2nd because he had confidence in his own coaching ability to maximize Wagner's potential. I could see a similar situation this year with Arthur Brown. John Schneider always does an outstanding job of gauging where a prospect is slotted to go. He took a big risk waiting to draft players like Sherman and Wilson, but the risk paid off. He took Irvin about as late as he realistically could have. If Schneider's pre-draft intel indicates that Brown could last well into the 2nd round, we might see Seattle move around to grab Brown somewhere in between their first two picks.

2nd round: Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State.

This is another player with Carroll/Pac-12 connections who I think fits Seattle's MO very well. Unlike the Brown pick, I'd be positively thrilled with this selection even though I like our current DT group. Sutton brings nice blend of nastiness, pass rush technique and raw power while anchoring decently well by pass rusher standards. He has the power, quickness, and size to succeed as a 1 tech, just not the run stopping results. He's also consistent play for play at a position where consistency is very rare. Pac-12 coaches and observers know exactly how fierce and imposing Sutton is. I'm sure Carroll will be no different.

3rd round: Keenan Allen, WR, Cal.

Yet again another player with Pac-12 connections, although in this case I think there is much more to it than that.

John Schneider has so far stayed true to his Green Bay roots at WR- meaning that he's been picky with the players he drafts while at the same time avoiding that kind of investment in round 1. The Packers best receivers in recent years: Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and Randall Cobb, were all 2nd round picks, ranging from 36th overall to 64th overall. Jordy Nelson is the "big" WR of the bunch, as a tall/fast 6'3" WR. John Schneider himself has drafted just one WR in three years- Golden Tate- who as it happens was selected 60th overall in 2010. What do these players have in common? It's how they combine quickness (YAC) with some other plus attribute. As such, I suspect that Schneider will be more likely to target a quick WR than a "Megatron" type. Of those four receivers, only Nelson is listed as being six feet tall or more. So size should not be considered a definite necessity, assuming that Schneider is the one making the call.

Last year we had it on good information that RB was a high priority. Specifically a round 1-3 priority. That got bumped back a round when the team decided they could not afford to risk trying for Wilson in the 4th. I think the current dearth of options among our 4-6 WR group coupled with the injury histories of Rice and Baldwin make WR a high priority target in 2013. In fact, the ideal situation would be to draft a WR a little later on and start him on the bench until an injury gives him the chance to compete and earn a starting job.

Keenan Allen was once considered a first round prospect, but as things currently stand it is conceivable that he could slide all the way to the late 3rd round. Not because anything is wrong with Allen. He's really just the victim of a very deep WR group while coming off a down year.

Keenan Allen is basically a skinny 6'3" version of Golden Tate. Like Tate, Allen has good hands despite being a bit of a body catcher and has a similar fluidity and shake after the catch. I think Allen is probably smarter at maximizing yardage than Tate was as a rookie, and I think Allen is probably the faster, better athlete of the two. Allen's height and deep ball skills give Seattle some real depth on the "big" WR front too in case Rice gets hurt and misses time. If you are drafting a 4th WR, you could hardly do better than a guy who could sub in for any of the current starters roles. Allen can do that, and not many other options in this draft can say that.

Markus Wheaton is another guy who fits the "quick" criteria and could be available in this range, and who also comes from a Pac-12 school. Seattle might have to move up in the 3rd round to get one of these guys, but I'd feel pretty good that one or both of them could last into the 3rd, and that's something Seattle can take advantage of.

4th round: Micah Hyde, CB, Iowa

Hyde is a complete corner that stands at 6'1" with good speed and bulk. I think he's being overlooked and his recent off the field problems won't help raise his stock. Seattle is always looking for CB depth especially given Sherman's looming suspension and Thurmond's health problems. I think he's got a very real shot at reaching the late 4th round. Hyde could be the latest 4th round steal by the Seahawks.

5th round (Curry trade): Sanders Commings, CB, Georgia

Byron Maxwell and Jeremy Lane have basically looked like special teams lifers to this point. Both have value and shouldn't be cut on a whim, but I think the team must continue to churn out quality big corners with speed because given Seattle's track record to this point, they would be crazy not to.

Commings is a competent corner on a very good defense. He stands 6'2" with good size and good speed.

5th round: Jared Abbrederis, WR, Wisconsin

Abbrederis has been a very reliable and productive possession WR for Wisconsin, and was a favorite target for Russell Wilson in 2011. While Abbrederis does not fit the John Schneider WR mold, he fits the Darrell Bevell / Russell Wilson mold to a tee. He's not only a very reliable possession WR, but he's a dangerous deep option as well. At 6'2", he would bring another tall WR that can compete immediately for Ben Obomanu's job.

6th round: Brandon Ford, TE, Clemson

Given that both Miller and McCoy are well rounded TE types, it makes sense that Seattle will pursue an "H-back" TE option in this draft- meaning a receiver oriented TE. After all, he'd be replacing an H-back type and converted WR in Evan Moore, who replaced an H-back in Kellen Winslow, who replaced an H-back in John Carlson.

Brandon Ford hasn't had much experience, in fact his resume reads a lot like Cameron Morrah's did. He barely played before his final season, and in that final season he had 8 TD's on just 31 receptions. Morrah posted similar high TD numbers in a low number of receptions during his final college season. Both possess NFL level athleticism. Ford gives Seattle more competition for the 3rd TE spot.

7th round (Ruud trade*): Matt Scott, QB, Arizona.

With Matt Flynn being a possible trade chip and the Seahawks having only Josh Portis as a possible fallback plan, Seattle should and probably will take advantage of what looks to be another good mid-round QB class.

I've made it no secret that I think Matt Scott is an intriguing QB. But it really doesn't matter what I think, because Matt Scott also fits John Schneider's intangibles based QB criteria like few QBs to escape the first round in recent years. Matt Scott is one of the toughest competitors you will ever see, taking brutal hits yet insisting to stay in the game despite obvious signs of poor health. He has the best "feel" for the position that I've seen from any QB not named Russell Wilson in years (although it didn't really show itself much in the USC sample with all the respect throws he had to make in under 2 seconds). Yes, he did have some tough games but on the whole he had a record setting season for his school, and he did it as a 1st year starter.

There are some problems with Scott and those problems will make his draft stock very hard to predict. First, he's very under-weight (currently under two bills) and it's likely that his injuries this year are related to that. He'd need to add weight before playing in the NFL and there is a chance that could impact his mobility. The second is the fact that he plays in a spread offense with a lot of read option, although that is almost a good thing in today's NFL the way the league is changing. He's not a young QB but he only has one season of starting experience. He also needs to improve his footwork and his throwing motion isn't the prettiest thing I've ever seen, but still NFL adequate with only a few small improvements.

Still, I think Matt Scott could make an outstanding, low cost backup to Wilson for years to come that I truly believe could turn into a trade chip down the road. Scott's a natural QB with a very high IQ- like Wilson he's a quarterback that happens to be an athlete not an athlete playing QB. Scott has a great feel for the position, he's tough, he's a leader, he's a fast learner, he knows where to go with the ball, he's accurate, he's mobile and he can make all the throws. Any time you can get a QB with the holy trinity of feel/mobility/leadership I think it's a guy you almost have to take a chance on, especially given that he did all of this in his first year of starting.

No other QB in this draft screams "John Schneider QB" the way Scott does. If Seattle is willing to draft a QB this year in the mid to late rounds, I think Scott is a very strong possibility. It wouldn't shock me if Scott goes much, much earlier than this, but I have Seattle taking him in the 7th until we learn more about where teams grade him. With good preparation, Scott could be ready to be effective in our offense by the time Flynn's contract expires.

7th round (T-Jack trade*): Knile Davis, RB, Arkansas

Davis just declared for the draft despite having a year of eligibility left, making him a little bit like this year's Darron Thomas.

Davis was a beast in 2010 alongside Ryan Mallett and was primed for a huge 2011 season. Unfortunately an ankle injury ended his season before it began. He came back in 2012, and like the rest of that Arkansas team, he was a complete disaster. He averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and had just two outings all season with a yards per carry over 4.0.

Still, a healthy Knile Davis is a first round talent, and as a powerful interior runner with good vision, he'd be a potential home run pick in Tom Cable's power running scheme. This is a gamble with huge upside, and with so many picks on a roster that is so tough to crack, Seattle is in great position to take this chance. Here is a video from his much better 2010 season, for those who aren't familiar with him.

7th round: Michael Clay, LB/S, Oregon

Michael Clay is a playmaker, but unfortunately for him he lacks the necessary size to play linebacker at the next level, and he might lack the speed to play anything other than an in the box type safety. Fortunately, Seattle has two such roles (Chancellor, Johnson) that could fit that skillset. Clay is a similar player to Jeron Johnson and could immediately compete for the big nickle 3rd safety spot on the defense.

*5th rounder from Curry trade could be a 4th instead, 7th rounder from T-jack could be a 6th rounder instead, we may not get the Ruud pick at all depending on the terms of the deal.

Last edited by kearly on Sat Dec 15, 2012 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

When you say Rob's blog are you referring to Rob Rang? That dude is money and seems to have a pulse on the Seahawks plan of action. Last I saw Rang has us taking....

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee: By not addressing their lack of reliable pass-catchers during the 2012 draft, the Seahawks clearly are hoping to see more consistency from expensive free agent addition Sidney Rice and the rest of their receiving corps. Should this not occur, receiver will be a primary area of focus in 2013. Patterson, a JUCO transfer with just half a season of FBS experience, has flashed breath-taking athleticism as a receiver, runner and returner for the Vols. His ability to make defenders miss would be a welcome addition to a Seattle roster lacking playmakers on the edge.

I'm totally fine with a WR or LB myself as a first round pick based on need. I think we are reaching if we go defensive line based on need. I'm not saying Patterson is our guy but he has the tools he just needs to be more disciplined on his routes. He's a guy Schneider could get for sure and may be able to still get by trading back in the first and accumulating extra picks.

So, in summary, right now, tight end is the only position I'm positive will be considered in each of the first three rounds. Wide receiver, 3-technique, and weak-side linebacker all have circumstances that can still make them more or less beneficial to draft in the early rounds. Let me know your thoughts.

I'm ready to give you the GM job once John Schneider retires. I'm not crazy about the 1st round pick but after that i would love that draft.

As i've mentioned Will Sutton is my favorite college football player that doesnt go to UO. (he has not declared for the draft yet though, we'll see if he does)/

A few months ago I was hoping for Keenan Allen in the 1st round, so i'd be thrilled with him in the 3rd (although I dont see him making it that far).

I love doubling up on CB's. For the reasons you mentioned, and you forgot to mention that Marcus Trufant is probably on his last legs as a Seahawk as well. With the ability of this regime to draft CB's, if they double up in this draft i'd say the odds are very high that at least one of them turns into a great player.

Abbrederis doesnt necessarily look the part. He's just a football player. He's like the football version of a basketball gym rat. I could imagine the equipment manager getting pissed because he has to keep the lights on well into the night cuz Wilson and Abbrederis are out there working on their timing again.

If we got the previous version of kniles davis a combination of Lynch, Turbin and Davis wouldnt even be fair to defenses.

I know nothing about the TE but agree that a more athletic tight end would be a great addition to the offense.

Matt Scott is the other one, along wtih the 1st round pick, where i dont share your optimism. I just dont see an NFL player when i watch him play and i'd be pretty surprised if he ever makes it in the nfl other then just a 3rd string emergency QB. I think he's Arena League bound personally. But, for a 7th round flyer, why not?

Michael Clay is a great pick as well. I dont ever see him as a safety though. I could see him having a Fredd Young type career. Starting out as a beast and a demon on special teams and then when he gets a chance being a very good linebacker as well, even with his relatively small stature. From what i've heard he's one of the best "people" to ever come thru the Ducks program as well. So you'd be getting a great human.

I think if I were in charge i'd flip your 1st and 3rd round selections. I'd go WR in the 1st round and LB in the 3rd (prefferably Kiko Alonzo who I think is going to be an absolute beast in the NFL.)

I would love the Will Sutton pick, Brown in the first not so much. I hope we go Offense first round WR,TE, or O line if they really love the guy, and agree with others on a LBer in the third or fourth. I also wouldn't mind seeing another D end pretty thin at that position.

Rob Staton, aka TheEnglishSeahawk. His blog is Seahawksdraftblog, which is an excellent draft resource and a daily must read. I am a little biased though, given that I write articles there sometimes.

As far as Patterson, the early indications are that he's decided to return to school in 2013 and enter the 2014 draft instead.

Scottemojo wrote:Honestly, I am positive there is 0 chance Allen is a 3rd rounder. I will be very surprised if he slides to the 2nd. I think scouts are well aware his QB situation sucked.

I have a late 1st round grade on him at the moment. Last year some very good WRs slipped into the 3rd round due to a very crowded WR class, and this year's class is just as crowded. I see Allen as being worth a late 1st, but not moreso than six or seven other guys who are all in that round 1-2 mix as well. The difference between Allen and the rest of the group is his current downward trajectory. In a typical draft class I'd expect him to be a top 40 lock, but in a crowded field I think there is a decent chance of him slipping into the 50-90 range.

hawksfan515 wrote:I think we will select a playmaking TE in the 1st 3 rounds, as it is one of our more obvious needs. The fieldGulls writer Ben Harbaugh explains it better than I can:

I'd be very surprised if we drafted a TE in the first three rounds. Our starting duo of Miller and McCoy are much better than I think most fans realize, but that isn't lost on our coaches and front office. The only way TE goes that early is if there is a value they just can't say no to (like Ertz in the late 2nd, which simply won't happen), or if the team cuts Miller to save $7 million in cap space, which seems more unlikely by the day. Also, you don't have to invest big to get a quality H-back TE. There are lots of them around, and we aren't even looking for a starter anyway, more of a specialist guy. Screams late round pick situation to me, unless something changes.

T-Sizzle wrote:I don't see why we would invest another high pick in a lber.

Late 1st isn't really a high pick. I'm not a huge fan of Brown myself, but Pete certainly was at one point. I think that bears attention. That plus OLB is probably the closest thing this team has to a true need.

Last edited by kearly on Sat Dec 15, 2012 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I think Kip's bang on about Keenan Allen. I've been willing to give him the benefit of the doubt all year for the QB situation at Cal. But then you watch the tape and what really makes him such a great prospect? He's about 6-3 and 205lbs. He's competitive, sure. He doesn't make many mental errors. But he's not explosive. He doesn't have great speed.

Remember this - in high school he was running 4.57 at 190lbs. He's added 10-15lbs since then. Unless he's worked tirelessly on his sprinting, it's not going to be pretty at the combine. Certainly not enough to thrust him into a high pick. Without a ton of production at Cal due to the QB situation (a situation he dictated, by the way), he needs a strong 'physical' performance. I'm not convinced he'll get it.

There's also a ton of competition out there from guys who will blow up the combine. And if his speed dictates he's merely a solid possession type without game-changing physical skills, the late second or early third round is about his range.

JSeahawks wrote:I'm ready to give you the GM job once John Schneider retires. I'm not crazy about the 1st round pick but after that i would love that draft.

Thanks for the kind words and lengthy response, but I wanted to re-iterate that this isn't a "what I would do" mock, it's a "what I think PC/JS will do" mock. I have Brown down for a 3rd round grade so far, but I could definitely see Pete Carroll having an irrepressible man-crush on him. Then I heard the quote from Pete's recruiting days and that pretty much sealed it. You can pretty much bank on Brown being a significant player on Seattle's draft board this year. It could be a case like Wilson where they made it a major goal to draft him, but waited a while before doing it. That said, if Brown continues to get 1st round hype, Seattle might decide they don't want to risk waiting.

theENGLISHseahawk wrote:I think Kip's bang on about Keenan Allen. I've been willing to give him the benefit of the doubt all year for the QB situation at Cal. But then you watch the tape and what really makes him such a great prospect? He's about 6-3 and 205lbs. He's competitive, sure. He doesn't make many mental errors. But he's not explosive. He doesn't have great speed.

Remember this - in high school he was running 4.57 at 190lbs. He's added 10-15lbs since then. Unless he's worked tirelessly on his sprinting, it's not going to be pretty at the combine. Certainly not enough to thrust him into a high pick. Without a ton of production at Cal due to the QB situation (a situation he dictated, by the way), he needs a strong 'physical' performance. I'm not convinced he'll get it.

There's also a ton of competition out there from guys who will blow up the combine. And if his speed dictates he's merely a solid possession type without game-changing physical skills, the late second or early third round is about his range.

Allen is more quick than fast. Based on what I've seen, I'd expect him to run somewhere in the 4.5's. I think he's a really nice prospect in a possession oriented offense like ours, but he's nothing like Tavon Austin in the home run category. I see him as being very similar to Tate in that he's a YAC oriented player but is merely good, not great, at it. Tate has made some big plays this year, but every time he does I'm always asking myself how he pulled it off, rather than being blown away by dominance. Watching Allen, I get the same impression. He makes plays and can move with the ball in his hands, but he doesn't blow you away.

I should stress that I'm not dialed into Allen or anything, I just think that the Seahawks will probably make WR a round 2-3 priority this year and Allen is one of the better candidates to slide a bit in a deep WR class. If Wheaton is available, he'd make sense too. If Tavon Austin slides, there is an argument for him. If on the off chance DeAndre Hopkins ends up criminally overlooked, he could be a great option too. I just think it's going to be- not to over reference Golden Tate- a similar situation to 2010 where a WR that carries a first round grade will slide in the draft and Seattle will pounce on it. Right now I think Allen has the best chance (among many options) of being that guy.

JSeahawks wrote:Michael Clay is a great pick as well. I dont ever see him as a safety though. I could see him having a Fredd Young type career.

Clay is currently 11 pounds lighter and 2 inches shorter than Fredd Young was during his playing days. But if Clay can add a good deal of weight, then I see no reason for him not to be considered for LB.

Is Arthur Brown a pretty similar player to Zach Brown from UNC last year? Super athletic and suspect tackling? I am of the opinion that if we can get an impact offensive weapon like a TE or WR in round 1, that would make the most sense. We are an injury away from being paper thin at WR. I love Wheaton from Oregon State.

I do see the need a WLB though, but I'm not sure I'd spend a first round pick on a LB who is not a good tackler.

Missing_Clink wrote:Is Arthur Brown a pretty similar player to Zach Brown from UNC last year? Super athletic and suspect tackling?

Zach Brown was bigger, but both were similar athletes. Brown was not a natural football player and I wasn't a fan of his at all. Arthur Brown has some holes in his game- he misses a lot of tackles and needs to be coached up. There are some similarities between the two, but I wouldn't use Zach Brown as a comparison. Zach Brown is more of the freak of nature type and Arthur Brown is more of the tenacious "get after it" type. When Arthur Brown is clicking, he's really good. He's more of a natural for the position than Zach Brown was, and his effort is never a concern, unlike Zach Brown.

Arthur Brown does have a lot of issues though, and there are a lot of LBs I'd draft ahead of him. If Seattle took him in round 2, I'd feel about the same as I did when they took Wagner in round 2. If they took Brown in round 1, I wouldn't like it one bit, but I'd get over it. This FO has built up a lot of good will, and something tells me Carroll would coach his ass off and make that pick look good in retrospect, just like he did for Wagner.

Last edited by kearly on Mon Dec 17, 2012 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Really want to see a WR fairly early as you've predicted. Glad to see you predicted two of them and one a possesion type. Too many times yesterday vs. Buffalo (and really throughout the season) we've seen RW have to scramble because no one's open. I'm sure since Russ is a rookie, he's missed open guys on some of those occasions. But overall, I think more often than not, there simply has been no one open. I would like to see a possesiuon guy that gets open on a very regular basis that RW knows he can go to if nothing better is available down the field.

Overall Kip, I think you've hit on the areas of the team that still need upgrading....LB, DT and WR as well as building depth at key positions like CB. Good post man. You and Rob (English) teach me more about what might happen in the draft than pretty much anyone else anywhere else. My only thought contrary to your prediction is that I think we may well see an o-lineman in the middle rounds to keep the competition level up there.

A tackle could make sense, but if they do draft one it will probably be a pick like JR Sweezy that will be completely off the radar before the draft. So I left it off my mock, because if they do draft a lineman, I really doubt I'd be able to predict it. I think it's a safe bet that it wouldn't be a guard or center though, we have outstanding young depth there. And I'm not saying that because I think our guards are elite or anything, but it's hard to justify a draft pick when you know he has very little chance of making the roster. So for guards and centers, I think they wait until UDFA.

The more I have seen of Allen the more I see a smaller slower Reggie Williams. He has talent, but does he have the drive. Sometimes he looked happy to just be sitting out and that rubbed me the wrong way.

Clay will never be a safety, at 5'11 220 he is about 5 lbs smaller then Lofa coming out of SC. I suspect he could put on 10-15lbs (UO conditioning is to keep players a little lighter) and be a solid backup and ST player who fans just love.

Missing_Clink wrote:Is Arthur Brown a pretty similar player to Zach Brown from UNC last year? Super athletic and suspect tackling? I am of the opinion that if we can get an impact offensive weapon like a TE or WR in round 1, that would make the most sense. We are an injury away from being paper thin at WR. I love Wheaton from Oregon State.

I do see the need a WLB though, but I'm not sure I'd spend a first round pick on a LB who is not a good tackler.

Arthur is much more rounded than Zach. I don't see a lot of missed tackles as Kip suggests, I see some sloppy technique at times (going for the hit, not wrapping up) but this isn't an issue I've seen enough to say I'd complain about it. Zach had higher upside as an athlete to cover and the Seahawks really want guys who can move around and make plays. They're not asking the LB's (even the SAM) to rush the passer much. Arthur fits the bill perfectly for me - controlled, consistent, athletic, heart and soul of the defense type. Tremendous prospect.

I think he'd make a very intriguing prospect as in the box safety. Teams will look at Clay and ask themselves how he can help their team. I think he has more value as a very good in the box safety than he would as a fringe OLB. The list of 220 pound LBs who become NFL starters, it's not a long list to say the least. I'm not doubting him, I just see him having a much easier path by taking the safety route.

theENGLISHseahawk wrote:Arthur is much more rounded than Zach. I don't see a lot of missed tackles as Kip suggests, I see some sloppy technique at times (going for the hit, not wrapping up) but this isn't an issue I've seen enough to say I'd complain about it. Zach had higher upside as an athlete to cover and the Seahawks really want guys who can move around and make plays. They're not asking the LB's (even the SAM) to rush the passer much. Arthur fits the bill perfectly for me - controlled, consistent, athletic, heart and soul of the defense type. Tremendous prospect.

I think it was the Baylor game, he had a really rough start before settling down later on. In the first two minutes of that compilation he had more missed tackles than tackles. It was embarrassing. In fairness, this kind of flaw is 100% coachable, so I seriously doubt it will deter Carroll much.

As said before, when Arthur Brown is at his best, he looks like Lavonte David, and Lavonte David is/was a really flippin' good LB. I think Pete Carroll thinks he can make Brown play at his best on a more consistent basis, so I expect him to have a very high draft grade on him. I was about as scared of Zach Brown as I was of Aaron Curry, but if Seattle drafted Arthur Brown I'd be optimistic that Pete could make it work. I just wouldn't draft him as early as Pete probably will.

After watching more of Arthur Brown I think I'm going to raise my appraisal on him. It appears his tackling in the Baylor game was a bit of an aberration (plus it was from last year), and his speed is the real thing. I know this is a bizarre comparison, but his field speed, body type, decisiveness and quickness remind me of Walter Thurmond of all people. And Thurmond is a really good defender, albeit at corner. Or to put it in a more intelligent sounding way, Brown isn't like your typical linebacker. Most linebackers are bruisers that can be exploited for their speed. Compared to a more typical linebacker like KJ Wright or Leroy Hill, Arthur Brown almost looks like a DB in comparison. He's faster, more fluid, and slighter of build.

He'd fit Carroll's role as a WLB very well. I think he'll probably get an early 2nd round grade from most teams. He's definitely a player to watch in round 1, possibly after a trade-down.